


the pawn and her knight;

by bloodynargles



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Gen, Well - Freeform, alt chess scene where cullen teaches quizzy how to play, and well, fluffffffffff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-29
Updated: 2015-06-29
Packaged: 2018-04-06 20:15:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4235148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodynargles/pseuds/bloodynargles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She doesn't quite know what to say, he's offering her a game of chess, a hint of playfulness in his sincere golden eyes – she wants to, by the Maker, does she – but there's a problem. “I may have to decline, Commander.” His face falls, and <i>Andraste's Tits</i> does her mouth betray her before she can think on what to say. “I don't particularly know.. how to play...?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	the pawn and her knight;

She doesn't quite know what to say, he's offering her a game of chess, a hint of playfulness in his sincere golden eyes – she wants to, by the Maker, does she – but there's a problem. “I may have to decline, Commander.” His face falls, and _Andraste's Tits_ does her mouth betray her before she can think on what to say. “I don't particularly know.. how to play...?” Silence settles around them, and it feels like forever before he chuckles – silently, to himself, as if to keep the rest of the world away from him but she can hear it too and it feels like Andraste is singing to her – an unbelieving look on his face at her words, “Really?” She's nibbling on her bottom lip as she nods, her ponytail bouncing behind her, curls feathering across her right shoulder. “Well then, Inquisitor, it sounds as if you need to be taught.” “-And you know the perfect person for it, do you?” He smirks up at her and its like looking into the sun or the bright green light of the breach – blinding, but she can't look away, doesn't ever want to. She'd go blind, her vision complete darkness before the image of his face would fade from her mind. He gestures over to the empty seat in front of him, having been vacated by a lingering Dorian previously, his eyes vaguely flickering back and forth between them from the other side of the garden. She contemplated outing him, but it would ruin the moment and, well, she _definitely_ did not want that.

 

Sitting down, she adjusted herself to the position, his eyes watching her every move, like he was mapping her movements to predict when she'd next run off to do something reckless – though he doesn't really want her to leave his sight, right now. Her own eyes move warily to his, purple clashing with gold and she squints, trying to make herself believe it was the sun in her eyes – it doesn't clash, rather his gold melts across her purple, revealing patterns and flaws that he finds to be _perfection_ , and when it sets it's like the finest Orlesian lace. “Well then..” Akwardness sweeps over them as he pulls his gaze from her to set the board, an easy silence biting into her, pressuring her to speak, to fill the gap but she doesn't quite know what to say – and then he's taking her through the basics, his hands showing her what pieces were which but she can't focus on anything but his _hands_ and how soft they would feel in her own. How firm his grasp would be, pulling her from risking her life for their cause – but it was just a silly daydream, her father's voice leaking into her head after years of trying to ignore his words.

 

“I used to play with my sister, though she always won. My younger brother and I practiced so much just to get the chance to beat her, oh, the look on her face when I did.” She tunes back into his words, a longing tone in his voice, as if he wished to be back there – or at least to see his silbings again. “Do you see them much?” Its a simple question she's not even sure why she asked, perhaps to make small talk so he wouldn't notice she hadn't payed any attention when he was teaching her the game. He lets a small sigh come from his chest, “Ah, no. They moved away after the Blight, though I do exchange letters with Mia now and again, I suppose I haven't seen them since before I went to the circle.” His brows furrow at that, as if he'd never given thought to it and when he speaks next his voice is barely a whisper, like he was afraid that if he said it louder their enemy would take it from him. “I would like.. After the war.. _If_ there is an after – I would like to see them again.” Golden eyes look up at her sheepishly from under impossibly long eyelashes and it takes all of her will not to melt in front of him, so she smiles softly, introducing humor into their partially somber conversation. “Paid leave, is it?” He laughs at that, and she's falling and she doesn't know what to do but smile back, because as long as he's laughing, as long as he's _here_ she knows where to go, and that doesn't seem bad at all.

 

Cullen glances to the board and she wants to make an anxious noise at the crease in his forehead at the mess she'd made while he'd not been paying attention. He breathes to speak, but nothing comes out as he looks up at her, confusion written all over his features. To which she shrugs and makes a little noise, but she could hardly tell him she was thinking about holding his hands, now could she? “Did I....ah..” He's speechless and she mumbles out an excuse, “My mind wandered and I didn't want to seem rude.” “Hmph. Rematch?” There's hope in his eyes and despite _still_ not knowing how to play – she'd always get distracted, wouldn't she?

 

Probably.

 

“Of course, Cullen.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> arie cant play chess for the life of her  
> it is ridiculous.  
> i may do a companion piece to this   
> i like it alot  
> alSO HELLO


End file.
